Pages

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Forgotten blog... It's the end of winter, and I am at the end of my winter rope. I am desperate for spring. I need some warmer days. Give me some high 40's or some 50's already. The end of winter is hard on me. I begin my descent into unhappiness, and wanting to stay home. Soon though, I will be unstoppable! Just one more month, one more month...Maybe it's my mind's way of building up the much needed energy for all that doing and seeing.
Anyhow,
Might as well sled on the stuff!

Partying birthday style.

Valentine's day party, thanks Miss L and family!

Kaya made a lemon shark bag for collecting all the love.

He has been biting his apples into designs or faces lately. This is the beginning of spidey apple.

Pottery has started up again, and the kids are loving it! We swim with our friends every week. That place is so good for me. It's a nice 85 degrees and there are palm trees. I convince myself every time that I am somewhere very far away. It kinda works for those two hours. Kaya is still taking his guitar lessons. He loves it, or rather he truly adores his teacher. Marlin is interested in trying her hand at agility with her dog Zoe. Kaya and Ev joined a lego club. There may be fencing in the future if a group forms.. So all in all, we are still doing stuff. Just not the busy active stuff that we love. In due time...
As far as learning, the kids are sponges, poking around at everything. We have been watching a lot on TV that get us revved up. The usual.. Dirty Jobs, Bizarre foods, Animal planet, History Channel, Survival shows. You name it, we learn from it. Marlin has read some great books, Esperanza Rising, and now Winn- Dixie. Kaya is still trying to grasp reading. It is very frustrating for him. So we do little chunks. Evren is playing many games. They all love working on math and reading skills daily on Study ladder. Mostly though, we play and do everything together, and that is where the true learning happens around here.

Friday, February 18, 2011

We saw an advertisement for a very cool online science website on the homeschool buyers co-op website. The site is called supercharged science, and they had some free experiments to do that pertained to atoms. So of course we sent Dad off with a small shopping list for some big fun with atoms.
This first experiment involved ivory soap, water molecules, and a microwave.
This is the explanation of what was happening.
This was our experiment:

Next up Plasma flash.
From a grape!
Just look around on that link up there, it's on there as well.
Here we go!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

So we headed out to stay a few nights with our friends. Check that link if you want more photos. There may or may not be one of me in a marshmallow crown...just sayin'... Anyway, It's always a good time for Mama's and kids.
This particular trip we sledded down an incredible sled track. It was pretty cool.
See?

At the base of the hill was a lovely cemetery. I am a big fan of cemeteries. I find them peaceful, beautiful and fascinating in so many ways. Luckily, Kaya does as well. Well the others do too, but he happened to be with me and followed as I delved in.

We finally tore away, and headed back to the house for some more of this:

It was a great weekend away. It helps the winter seem less long and painful when you surround yourself with warm, generous friends.
I love that.